No longer a disco cliché, glitter was all over the runways this fall

On New Year's Eve in 1979, so much glitter fell on the dance floor at Studio 54 (the place for excess of every kind) that, for months after, revelers found sparkling traces in everything from their shoes to their underwear. "It was legendary—no one could get rid of it," remembers Lancôme celebrity makeup artist Sandy Linter. Its popularity with the disco set, who preferred light layers dusted across cheekbones and lids, and with the glam-rockers, who opted for messy, edgier application, made this after-dark accessory the life of the party.

Glitter's beginning, however, was far from chic: On a New Jersey cattle farm in 1934, machinist Henry Ruschmann figured out how to mass-produce the substance by grinding up large sheets of plastic. Now it's a fashion week backstage hero.

Glitter Makeup is Back

Glitter Makeup is Back

At the fall 2009 shows, touches of glitter lit the runways—from a subtle sheen on the lash line at Louis Vuitton to metallic-armored eyes at Prada, where P&G Global Design Director Pat McGrath chose a shiny-penny shade for the lids. "Although very simple and quick to apply, even a tiny amount of glitter can accelerate almost any makeup in an instant," McGrath says. To make it 2010-ready, Chanel makeup artist Fulvia Farolfi says to "isolate it to one feature—lids, lash line, lips, or cheekbones."

Neat freaks fearful of leaving behind a dreaded glitter trail can apply a touch of Visine on the skin under loose sparkles or opt for glitter-infused lip glosses and eyeliners. "Before you go out, use a Band-Aid, which is very gentle on the skin, to clean up any bits that may have wandered off to your cheeks or nose," says Dany Sanz, creator and artistic director of French brand Make Up For Ever, which started selling glitter in plastic bags back in 1984. "When you come home, use the adhesive again to pick up as much as you can, followed with a creamy cleanser." Should a stray still turn up in the light of day, just consider it a party favor.